FEATURE


spring traps are almost impossible to set. I once tried a plastic spring-trap which was very easy to set. I soon found it had a major disadvantage. The spring was not strong enough. The mice would be trapped but not killed. I found mice trapped by the tail or the foot and being too soft-hearted to see any animal suffer, I would release these victims alive. The newspapers often feature advertisements for ultrasonic mouse deterrents. I have not tried them since I have been assured by two people who have that they are not effective. Members’ experiences on this method would be welcome. The obvious alternative to traps is poison. I greatly dislike the use of poison since it can get into the food chain and because death is not swift. Presumably it could also poison a cat if a cat caught a mouse which had eaten poison. I look on poison as a last resort. However, to deal with rats and, in some situations, with mice, there seems to be no alternative. The mouse poison which you can buy in a hardware store is unlikely to be effective over the long term, since mice will eventually become


immune to it. It is therefore advisable to contact the vermin control department of the local council. On one occasion I saw a rat in my garden and a very helpful man from the Council arrived with some blocks of poison placed inside small cardboard cartons. There is no charge for this service. If you as much as catch a glimpse of a rat, call the council immediately. Do not leave nest-boxes in position in outdoor aviaries all year unless you close the entrance by nailing wood over it. If a rat enters the aviary and finds a bird roosting inside, it will kill it and you are likely to find a headless victim.


If you place mouse poison in your bird room, don’t think all you have to do is to put it in a suitable place and wait for the mouse population to crash. Now your work begins. On the first and succeeding nights of poison use in a bird room, sweep the floor, clean the cage trays, etc, and remove every food container. If they can feed on seed, they will not take the poison. Mice are so resourceful that they can learn to feed during the day but offering them only poison at night will usually solve the problem.


I greatly dislike the use of poison since it can get into the food chain and because death is not swift. Presumably it could also poison a cat if a cat caught a mouse which had eaten poison. I look on poison as a last resort. However, to deal with rats and, in some situations, with mice, there seems to be no alternative. The mouse poison which you can buy in a hardware store is unlikely to be effective over the long term, since mice will eventually become immune to it.


BIRD SCENE 29


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